Project 543 tells the story of unique spots across North Carolina we hope will become some of your favorite places. Why 543? Because that’s the number of miles from Manteo, on the coast, to Murphy, in the mountains, and is traditionally considered to be the width of our state. The entries in this project are in no particular order, and we’ll add to them each week. Check in often to find inspiration for your next trip, or start planning today at VisitNC.com.

What is Project 543?

Project 543 tells the story of unique spots across North Carolina we hope will become some of your favorite places. Why 543? Because that’s the number of miles from Manteo, on the coast, to Murphy, in the mountains, and is traditionally considered to be the width of our state. The entries in this project are in no particular order, and we’ll add to them each week. Check in often to find inspiration for your next trip, or start planning today at VisitNC.com.

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Follow the Ben Long Fresco Trail

Visitors who follow the Ben Long Fresco Trail in North Carolina will find a touch of renaissance art in such unlikely places as a police station and bank building as well as a civic center, municipal auditorium and a few rural churches. Thanks to the effort of North Carolina native Ben Long IV, this unique trail showcases this unusual form of art to thousands of people who visit the frescoes each year for their religious significance and for their artistic merit. Frescoes are more common to Europe, and Long spent many years learning from European masters to bring the craft back to his home. He created the first frescoes for free to assist two rural churches that were in need of attention. Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church in West Jefferson is home to one of his most popular and controversial images, Mary Great with Child. The Ben Long Fresco Trail features 12 locations across eight counties.